- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Russian Athletes Unlikely to Join Rio Olympics Judging by IOC Statement

© Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankRussian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Russian athletes are unlikely to take part in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but Russia would continue to fight for the right, Russian Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Saturday.

Women leave the Russian Olympic Committee building which houses the headquarters of the All-Russian Athletics Federation in Moscow on November 9, 2015 - Sputnik International
Russian Olympic Committee Doubts IOC Able to Get Russia Invited to Games
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Judging by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) statement on the Russian athletes, the latter are unlikely to take part in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but Russia would continue to fight for the right, Russian Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Saturday.

On Friday, the Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) officially announced the decision to uphold Russia Athletics Federation (RUSAF) ban for association's membership, which means that Russian athletes cannot participate in international competitions under IAAF aegis. On Saturday, the IOC Executive Board said it supported the anti-doping position of the IAAF.

"Judging by the [IOC] statement, our athletes have no chance [at the Olympics], but we will continue [our struggle]. Our position is clear. The responsibility should be of a personal, not collective character," Mutko told R-Sport.

2013 IAAF World Championships. Day Four. Evening session - Sputnik International
IOC Backs IAAF Decision to Ban Russian Athletes From Rio Olympics
Following the IAAF decision, the Russian Sport Ministry expressed its extreme disappointment. All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) Secretary General Mikhail Butov said he was considering appealing the decision.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it was unfair to ban all Russian athletes from participating in Rio Games, adding that he hoped to find a solution to the problem.

Earlier in the day, the ARAF said that y it was ready for strategic partnership with the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the issue.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала